Sparkler and process of making same.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AARON JEDEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPARKLEB AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON JEDEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sparklers and Processes of Making Same, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to sparklers and has special reference to sparklers comprising a core of iron wire, steel wire, or the like, hereinafter generally referred to as a metal base.

It has heretofore been proposed to coat a metal base with a composition comprising aluminum powder, or other fuel capable of producing a high temperature upon combustion, an oxidizing compound, such as a salt containing large quantities of available oxygen, and iron or steel chips, these devices being known in the trade as sparklers.

I have now found that these devices can be very much improved, by first coating the base, which may be as above stated, a metal base, specifically an iron or steel wire of any suitable shape, with a coating of a non-combustible material, which is a very poor conductor of heat, and thereafter applying the sparkler composition, which may be any of the known or suitable sparkler compositions, upon the said coated base.

In accordance with the present invention, I first dip the wires into a paste containing as its essential constituent, asbestos powder, or other similar material, preferably of a pulverulent nature which is non-combustible and which is a poor conductor of heat. The asbestos powder or similar material may be mixed up with water and an adhesive, and the wires dipped thereinto. After drying these coated pieces, they are then dipped into any suitable or preferred sparkler composition, the exact composition of which will depend upon the particular result to be secured, after which the articles are dried and are then ready for packing and shipping. While the present invention is not limited to any particular structure or shape of metal base, I state that the metal bases shown in my prior Patents 888,810, 1,067,520 and 1,110,205, may be employed if desired. The use of this paste, while involving an additional step in the manufacture of the sparkler is in reality a saving of expense, since the non-combustible mass is much cheaper than the sparkler Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 12, 1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 61,126.

mass, and a smaller amount of the sparkler mass can be employed. In the combustion of the ordinary sparklers, particularly those containing a wire base, or other metal base, the base acts as a conductor of heat, to conduct the heat away from the burning zone rapidly, so that the maximum temperature obtained in the burnmg zone is somewhat lower than would be the case if the metal base were not employed. Also since the heat is conducted by the metal base from the zone of highest temperature into the adjacent zones, the said ad acent zones actually commence burning before they attain the highest temperature and hence considerable decomposition of the substances may occur, before the maximum temperature is obtained. l/Vith the devices produced with the present invention, however, since the non-combustible material employed is in all cases a poor conductor of heat,the portions of the sparkler adjacent to the zone of highest temperature are not actively burning, andno decomposition, or a much smaller amount of decomposition occurs therein, with the result that the sparkling, which is caused by the combustion of the iron or steel chips, actually takes place in the air surrounding the burning sparkler to a much larger extent, with a result that materially greater quantities of the iron chips burn with the sparkling effect, and consequently a more brilliant efi'ect is produced from the same, or even from a somewhat smaller amount of the sparkler mass.

In addition to the advantages above noted, the wire or other metal base, at the time when the sparkler mass has burned off, is relatively cool, and can be thrown directly into a mass of cotton waste, or other highly inflammable material without danger of igniting and thereby causing fires.

A further advantage resides in the fact that while the regular sparkler mass was rather slow in drying, the non-combustible mass next to the wire acts as a blotter to absorb much of the moisture, and my experiments indicate that this moisture is held by this non-combustible mass, which helps in keeping the iron wire or similar metal base in a cooled condition, during the combustion. Also the sparkler after being dipped into the sparkler mass dries very much quicker than would be the case if the noncombustible material were not employed.

I am familiar with the fact that heretofore the wooden sticks, serving as bases for various pyrotechnic devices have been fireproofed or rendered non-glowing, by the use of suitable materials, and I do not make any claim broadly to thefireproofing of the base of a pyrotechnic device.

While I have referred particularly to metal Wires, I call attention to the fact that various other forms of metal can be used if desired, such forms as narrow strips of sheet metal or metal ribbon which may or may not be twisted, may be employed.

WVhile I have referred to the use of a sparkler mass broadly, I do not claim herein any particular composition for this purpose. While I at present prefer to employ the sparkler mass described in my U. S. Patent 1,145,421, I call attention to the fact that the present invention is not restricted to the use of such particular composition, any suitable composition for the purpose may be used.

What I claim is:

l. A pyrotechnic sparkler comprising a metal base, a first coating thereupon, comprising a non-combustible material having relatively poor heat conducting properties; and a second coating thereupon consisting of a sparkler mass.

2. A pyrotechnic sparkler comprising a metal base; a first coating thereupon, contaming as its essential constituent, asbestos powder; and a second coating of sparkler composition, thereupon.

3. A process of making a sparkler which comprises first coating a metal base with a material comprising a non-combustible material of relatively poor heat-conducting properties, and thereafter applying a second coating of sparkler mass.

4. A process of making a sparkler which comprises first coating a metal base with a material containing as its essential ingredient, asbestos powder, and thereafter applying aisecond coating of sparkler mass.

5. A process of making a sparkler which comprises first dipping a'metal base into a mixture comprising water, an adhesive, and a non-combustible material of relatively poor heat-conducting properties, removing said metal base from the mixture and allowing the same to dry, and thereafter dipping said article into a second mixture c0mprising a sparkler mass, and thereafter drying the same.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of a witness.

AARON J EDEL.

Witness M ATHILDA JEDEL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G. 

